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2 Denning L.J. 1 (1987)

handle is hein.journals/denlj2 and id is 1 raw text is: Administration ofJustice in Malaysia
Y A. A. Tan Sri Dato'Abdul Hamid Omar*
In order to appreciate the present judicial system and the administration of
justice in Malaysia, one needs to trace the origins and history of the Malaysian
Bench. As will be seen, the growth and development of the Malaysian judiciary
were directly consequent on the political changes which took place in the country.
The historical judicial development reflective of the political changes will
therefore constitute the first half of the discussion. The second half will be devoted
to a discussion of the present day system and hierarchy of courts with their powers
and jurisdiction. This paper will conclude with an attempt to postulate future
changes in the Malaysian judiciary consequent upon the creation of the Supreme
Court of Malaysia.
The history of the Malaysian judicial system is closely interrelated with the
history of British intervention in the Malay Peninsula. It is proposed to divide our
study of the Malaysian judicial history into four distinct periods, viz.: (1) British
Colonial Rule: 1786-1941 (Pre-war period); (2) Japanese Occupation (World War
II): 1942-1945; (3) British Colonial Rule: 1946-1956 (Post-war period); and (4)
Independence and thereafter: 1957-1980s.
A. HISTORICAL JUDICIAL DEVELOPMENT
1.    British Colonial Rule: 1786-1941
Varying degrees of British involvement can be seen in the differing
governmental structures in Malaya; the Straits Settlements, the Federated Malay
States and the Unfederated Malay States constituted three stages in British
intervention. Whilst the first were settled colonies, the latter two were mere
protectorates.
(a) Straits Settlements (S.S.)
The first stage in British intervention began when the East India Company,
which had created outposts in Penang (1786), Malacca (1824) and Singapore
(1819), transferred them to the British Crown. Collectively known as the Straits
Settlements, they came directly under the responsibility of the British Colonial
Office in 1876.
*Chief Justice, Malaya

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